Safe in the Dark
by Hypothetical Situation
Summary: Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark. Arnold/OC, Helga/OC. Songfic – 'Safe in the Dark' Ludo.


A/N: Welcome back, readers! I'm very excited to debut this fic, even though it is a bit morbid. I was listening to one of my favorite bands, Ludo, and inspiration sparked with their song "Safe in the Dark." I highly recommend finding it on YouTube and giving it a listen before and/or during reading. The title is used as a metaphor for being oblivious or in denial about something in order to stay safe/happy. I tried to incorporate that in this fic, so I hope it worked. There are two OC characters, Kelly and Darren; they're important, so don't just shrug them off. So, after all the hard work I put into this, I ask that you sit back, relax, and read!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the _Hey Arnold! _series.

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><p>"Helga, we're over here!" Kelly called from our table. I took her hand in mine and smiled, appreciating how well she got along with my childhood friends. She squeezed it lightly and giggled.<p>

Helga's head turned toward the sound of her name and spotted us just a few tables away. A smile grazed her face as she approached. "Hi," she greeted softly.

Kelly immediately rose from her seat and embraced Helga in a tight hug. "It's so nice to see you. Thanks for coming out to lunch with us. We were looking forward to it all week."

I stood up and gave Helga a hug of my own, light but loving. Despite our rocky past, we maintained contact with each other throughout our college years and learned to settle our differences with one another.

Once we all took our seats, I scanned the menu quickly, looking for the most appetizing thing. Having been to the restaurant many times before, I stuck with an old favorite – two hot dogs with a complimentary side of beans. I folded the menu, placing it off to the side of the table, and smiled.

Kelly glanced over at me, still holding her menu. "You know what you want already?" she said in surprise. I nodded. She rolled her eyes, cocking her head toward me and said to Helga, "Men, right?" The two of them chuckled at the humorous stereotype and returned to their menus.

My gaze landed on Helga, who sat across from both Kelly and I. As her eyes flickered across the items on the menu in front of her, I noticed how swollen they were, along with the deep purple pockets that framed them.

**Have you been up late nights?**

**(It's okay, it's just been hard to sleep)**

**It seems so in your eyes**

**(It's just that work has been gettin' to me)**

"So, Helga, what are you thinking of ordering?" Kelly asked in a polite manner. "I've been eyeing the lobster roll myself, but I'd be willing to split a large ham and cheese sub with you instead. The sandwiches here are absolutely massive! I could never finish one myself."

Helga looked up at Kelly and gave her a light smile. "A sandwich sounds great."

Kelly grinned and closed her menu with a flourish. "Wonderful!" she exclaimed.

**I heard about your beau**

**(He's not feeling well, but he's alright)**

**There's something I can do**

**(Thanks for offering, but I'll be fine)**

A heavy silence filled the air after the waitress took our orders; nobody wanted to address the elephant in the room – Darren. Kelly resorted to picking at her fingernails while Helga simply looked at her lap, biting her lip. I cleared my throat, which caused Kelly to look up at me. I stared into her eyes, hoping to silently communicate with her. She finally took a deep breath and grabbed for my hand under the table.

"Helga," Kelly started, but Helga interrupted her with a raised hand.

"It's fine, really," Helga said calmly, but I could hear the hidden shakiness in her voice.

Kelly opened her mouth to speak, but froze as soon as her breath left her lips, worried to say the wrong thing. She bit the corner of her lip slightly and began again. "How has he been?" she asked, full of compassion.

Helga fiddled with her silverware. "He's…stable," she breathed.

Kelly pursed her lips and turned her attention toward me, hoping I would take the lead. I looked at Helga's slumped form. "If there's anything you need…please, just let us know."

She flashed me a fake smile, but the suddenness by which it disappeared told me she knew I could see through her. Her eyes immediately met her lap once more.

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

A few hours later, I stood in front of Hillwood Medical Center, jiggling my car keys in apprehension. Taking one final breath, I stepped on the sensor pad in front of the doors, causing them to automatically slide open. The smell of cleaning products made my stomach queasy.

"I'm here to see Darren Delaney, please," I spoke to the woman behind the counter. She nodded gracefully and buzzed for one of the attendants to lead me to his room. As we passed by the handful of rooms that housed other patients, I peered inside of them, curious as to what to expect. The tubes, the machines, the sickly faces; my stomach lurched once more.

Room 184, the brass fixings on the door read. Scribbled on a clipboard below was Darren's name. "Here we are," the nurse greeted. She knocked lightly three times before turning the doorknob and pushing onward. The television hanging on the wall was muted, and the curtain surrounding what I presumed was a Darren-clad hospital bed was closed shut.

"You can take a seat right there while I get Mr. Delaney all spruced up for you," the nurse smiled and motioned toward a large wooden chair in the corner. I nodded graciously and sat, observing my surroundings. Much of Darren's space was not filled with the high-tech machines and miles of tubing that I witnessed from the previous rooms, easing my mind in the slightest. While the nurse collected a few things from an outside closet, my gaze followed the characters displayed on the small flat screen television. Without even needing the volume to hear spoken words, their happy-go-lucky antics brought a smile to my face. A sense of peace settled throughout the room.

The nurse returned with a large pillow and a glass of water. She sent me a smile and began opening the curtain to Darren's bedside. "Rise and shine, Mr. Delaney. You have a visitor."

Darren's emaciated face met my eyes all too fast. The peaceful feeling in my stomach was replaced with a bottomless pit.

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

"Arnold, how are you?" Darren's small voice rang in my ears. The pillows the nurse brought in helped steady his weak frame into a sitting position on the bed.

I dragged the chair closer to his bedside and gave him a hopeful smile. "I'm doing alright. I believe the better question, however, is how you're doing?"

I watched as his shriveled hands cupped the glass of water and brought it to his dry and cracked lips. The lump of his Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he swallowed hard. "There've been brighter days, Arnold, but I cannot complain. I can only thank the Lord for keeping me going strong."

**Have you been up late nights?**

**(Couldn't swallow, couldn't get to sleep)**

**I see it in your eyes**

**(It's just the sickness has been getting to me)**

"But let's not dwell on the sadness," Darren wheezed. I sat upright in my chair, eager to help him as a loud cough erupted from his throat. He held up a shaky hand, silently telling me he was going to be fine. A few seconds later, the episode passed. Taking another sip of water, he asked, "How has the whole Kelly thing been going? How long has it been, a few months?"

I chuckled. "Eight months. And everything's going smoothly so far. We bought an apartment and everything." My mind flashed back a couple hours prior. "We had lunch with Helga this afternoon."

Darren's face lit up. "Good, good. I'm glad she was able to get out." He shifted his gaze out the window, the exuberant pleasure now gone. "How is she?" he asked softly.

"She's…" I began, having trouble finding the right words. "She's struggling."

**Well, what about your belle?**

**(Can you help her? Can you make the time?)**

**I'll do all I can do**

**(Just don't worry 'bout me, I'll be fine)**

Darren turned his head in my direction. "I know it's been tough on her. She's only visited me a few times since I was admitted here." He bowed his head, fiddling with his fingers in his lap. "I don't think she can stand to look at me anymore."

I reached out and placed my hand on his shoulder. "Darren, I'm sure she loves you just the same."

He gave me a half-smile and met my gaze. "Thanks, man."

I checked the time on my watch and noticed it was getting late. "You rest up, buddy, okay? I've got to get going; Kelly's expecting me back for dinner soon." I rose from my chair, putting it back in its original spot in the corner, and headed for the door.

"Arnold?" Darren's voice called out to me. I swiveled back around and found him lying on his side, facing the window again. "Look after Helga, will you?" he whispered. A few moments later, his breathing became steady and his slumped shoulders rose and fell in perfect rhythm.

I flicked off the lights as I left the room, leaving him to slumber in the darkness.

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

For the next two weeks, I kept in contact with Helga in any way that I could. Some days, I arranged for us to meet for a meal or see a movie, while other days I simply called her on the phone and chatted for hours in order to keep her company. Kelly joined us for the first handful of outings, providing Helga with a female companion's presence and advice. However, as time passed, Kelly became less interested in meeting up with us, and fell short tempered when it came to my own stance on the matter.

And I became less interested in Kelly, and more concerned for Helga's well-being.

I watched her body grow frail like her boyfriend's. The bags under her red eyes grew larger and deeper as she lost countless hours of sleep. At each meal we would share together, the food on her plate became less touched as she refused to put a single morsel in her mouth. All the begging and pleading in the world did not break her front.

There was nothing I could do but watch my best friend's life crumble before her.

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

"Where are you going?" Kelly called from the other room as I threw on my coat.

"I'm going to visit Darren, see how he's holding up. Then maybe give Helga a call." I walked away from the door and into the room where Kelly sat, watching television. Her face scrunched in disgust. I blinked, taken aback. "What?" I asked her.

Kelly sighed. "Nothing. You've just been spending a lot of time with them, that's all." Her hand grasped the remote control and leisurely flicked through the channels on the television.

I stood there, my mouth open wide. "Have you gone mad?" I breathed in disbelief. "Darren's been a friend of mine for years. And Helga…" I fell short. "Helga's just…needs my help."

She shrugged off my words, no longer paying me any attention. I grumbled in frustration and headed for the door, trying my best to slam it loudly in my wake.

**Forces unseen pulling strings in your heart**

I walked into the hospital, the same smell of cleanliness wafting through my nostrils. However, it was not the smell that made my stomach churn; it was the faces of new patients roaming the halls, their green smocks falling off their weak bodies and the gloominess in the air as they stumbled toward their rooms.

I approached the front desk and placed my folded hands on the counter. "Darren Delaney, please. Tell him it's Arnold."

The woman behind the counter entered Darren's name into her system and clicked a few buttons with her mouse. A moment later, her entire face fell.

"Is there a problem?" I asked, concerned.

She swallowed before meeting her eyes with mine. "I'm sorry to be the one to say this, sir, but Mr. Delaney passed away just a few hours ago."

The churning in my stomach increased tenfold. "What?" I said breathlessly, thinking maybe I didn't hear her properly.

"I'm so sorry." She flashed a nervous frown.

My head suddenly thumped uncontrollably as I lost my balance. I grabbed the edge of the counter, hoping to steady myself. The woman quickly stood up from her seat and reached for my arm. "I need a nurse!" she called out to her staff.

I blinked rapidly and pushed away her hand. "No, no, I'm okay," I said. She gave me a disbelieving look. "I just…I need to go."

I sprinted away from the woman and out of the building as fast as I could, ignoring her calls for me to come back. The cool rush of the night's breeze hit my face as the automatic doors opened up. I threw my hands to my head, not knowing what to do.

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

After a moment of steady breathing, a thought flashed through my head – Helga.

**Well, where are you guys then?**

**(We're up north, just tryin' to beat the heat)**

**When are you coming home?**

**(Not sure I can make it back for weeks)**

I slammed my car door shut and raced to dig my cell phone from my jeans. My fingers were barely able to press the right sequence of numbers as I desperately tried to get in contact with Helga. After three rings, she picked up.

"Hello?" Her voice sounded small.

"Helga…" I sighed in relief, knowing she was on the other line. "Helga, where are you?"

There was a slight pause, followed by an airy laugh. "We took a road trip up north. Gonna see all the sights."

Her response stopped me short. "We?"

"Yes, Darren and I." She let out another laugh, followed by a deep sigh.

My mind raced. "Helga, Darren's not with you. I just went to the hospital. He…" I was having trouble facing reality. "He passed away." Another silent pause met my ears. Then another laugh. "Helga?"

"Don't be silly, Arnold. He's right here."

I swallowed hard. "Helga," I said slowly, "where are you? I'm going to come get you, okay?"

A large sob erupted from the other line. I stiffened in my seat and reached for my car keys, fumbling to find the ignition hole. I held the phone with my shoulder as I revved up the engine and pulled sharply out of the parking lot.

**So how are all your shows?**

**(Kelly called and said you're not alright)**

**You take care of you**

**(There's something bigger going on this time)**

"Arnold, I don't know what to do," she sobbed into the phone. I clutched it tighter to my face.

"Helga, hang in there. Where are you?" My brain struggles to imagine all the places she could be, worried too much about her well-being to think rationally. My car races down the street at alarming speeds as I try my best to pass all the plausible areas.

She breathed in a shaky breath. "How come Kelly doesn't care about us anymore?"

I tightened the grip on the steering wheel. "I don't care about Kelly. Where are you?" I practically yelled into the phone. My vision began to blur as tears piled up in my eyes. I wiped them away with a frantic swipe.

"You were so good to me, Arnold…" Helga's voice seemed distant, her sobs no longer echoing in my ear.

I panicked. "Helga, please."

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

"What am I going to do without him, Arnold?" she whispered.

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

"Helga, stay with me. Tell me where you are."

**Forces unseen pulling strings in your heart**

"You were always here with me, you know that? I never stopped loving you…"

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

My stomach was now in my throat, and I had to force myself not to throw up out of worry for her safety. "Helga, I care about you so much. Let me come find you."

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

"Darren was such a nice boyfriend. He never knew about my feelings for you."

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

I rounded a corner, narrowly missing the pole of the street sign. As I adjusted my wheel and aligned myself on the correct side of the road, I spotted a dark figure looming near one of the city's bridges. The figure's hair blew rapidly in the breeze, increased because of the closeness to the water. In its hand rest a glowing cell phone.

**Forces unseen pulling strings in your heart**

I slammed on the brakes, my heartbeat pulsing in my ears. I let the tears fall.

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

"Helga!" I screamed, both into the phone and out loud to the figure, as I exited the car with force. I watched as the figure's head turned toward me. The light from the cell phone's screen caught the figure's face, reflecting the tears that rolled down her cheeks. I stumbled on my feet and ran to her staggering body, now swaying with uncertainty.

I increased my speed. "Helga!" I yelled again.

I watched her fall.

**Everyone wants**

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

I reached the edge of the bridge, panting and desperate to catch my breath. A massive sob retched out of my body as I gazed upon her slumped figure, fallen just two feet in front of me on the sidewalk instead of seventy feet down the side of the bridge. I knelt down to the ground and scooped up her fragile body, eager to hold her breathing and alive form in my arms.

"Oh, Helga," I breathed out, "I'm here, I'm here."

**Everyone wants**

**Everyone wants to feel safe in the dark**

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><p>AN: Thank you all for reading! I know it's a sad story but I hope I did the song justice, as well as make it an enjoyable read for all of you. I have plenty more _Hey Arnold! _fics planned for the future, and hopefully some more Ludo songs will give me inspiration like this one did. Check out my page for more from me! Reviews are welcomed and appreciated.

Hypothetical Situation


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